Sunday, April 28, 2013

Linlithgow & The Union Canal–12th April 2013

The second day of our short stay away and after our long trek in the Pentland Hills we settled for a more leisurely walk along the canal, especially as the forecast wasn’t good.

1-aquaduct

We parked at Muiravonside Country Park and started our walk along the Avon River until we reached the Aqueduct.

2-aquaduct

This impressive aqueduct is the longest and tallest in Scotland. It is 250 m.(810 ft.) long and 26 m.( 86 ft.) high. It is the second longest in Britain (after the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct in Wales).

3-roots

Nature and heritage merged together

4-river

River Avon

5-aquaduct

The aqueduct was built after the design by Thomas Telford for the Chirk Aqueduct.

6-aquaduct

There are twelve arches, and the water is carried in a cast iron trough.

7-aquaduct

I found it a bit scary especially as it was windy!

8-mallard

Male Mallard

9-aquaduct

 

10-weir

Looking down on the Avon River, you are a long way up!

11-aquaduct

Pete filming over the edge, don’t drop the camcorder!

12-aquaduct

 

13-mallards

Mallard pair

14-mallard

 

15-song-thrush

Song Thrush

16-canal-buildings

Canal building, home to the "Sea” Scouts!

23-sea-scouts

 

17-canal-barge

Canal dredger

18-barge-and-buildings

 

19 water-shrew

We saw movement in the reeds and thought perhaps it was a Water Vole but soon realised it was infact a Water Shrew, we had not seen one before!

20-dunnock

Singing Dunnock

21-moorhen

Moorhen

22-chiffchaff

Chiffchaff, we could hear lots about but not easy to photograph!

 

 

24-moorhen

Moorhen

25-visitor-centre

Back to Muiravonside and their lovely little cafe, bacon and egg butty time!

26-highland-cattle

Spotted these as we left the carpark

27-coot

Now raining we decided to stop in Linlithgow by the loch, lots of Coots about!

28-moorhen

Moorhens more tame here

29-tufty

Don’t you just hate it when you have lined up a nice Tufted Duck shot and you get a lurker wander into your shot!

30-tufty

Tufted Duck

31-linlithgow-loch

Palace and swans

32-swans

 

33-tufty

No sorry I havn’t any bread, don’t look at me like that!

34-black-headed-gull

Black-headed Gull

35 coot-CAB

Coot-CAB

36 Coot-CBH

Coot-CBH

37-coots-nest

Coots nest

38-coot-love

Coot love…..

39-coot-love

….looks a bit rough!

40-tree-monster

Tree monster

41Linlithgow-Palace

Linlithgow Palace

42-linlithgow-palace

 

43-linlithgow-palace

 

44-linlithgow-palace

 

 

45-linlithgow-palace

 

46-geese

Geese

47-goose

Nope I still havn’t got any bread!

48-palace

 

49-church

St Michael’s Parish Church

50-tower

“Crown” added in 1964

51-palace

 

52-palace-sign

Will go inside another day!

53-gateway

Gateway

54-palace

 

55-linlithgow

Why oh why did they put that salt bin there!

56-palace-gateway

Gateway

57-linlithgow

There are some lovely old buildings here

58-gateway

Church archway

59-gateway

Beautiful ironwork

60-wall

Plaques showing all the Stewart Kings/Queens that stayed in the palace.